Hair-Raising Technique Detects Drugs, Explosives On Human Body

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday July 10, 2014 @09:35PM from the charge-and-detect dept.

sciencehabit writes Scientists have found a way to combine Van de Graaff generators with a common laboratory instrument to detect drugs, explosives, and other illicit materials on the human body. In the laboratory, scientists had a volunteer touch a Van de Graaff generator for 2 seconds to charge his body to 400,000 volts. This ionized compounds on the surface of his body. The person then pointed their charged finger toward the inlet of a mass spectrometer, and ions from their body entered the machine. In various tests, the machine correctly identified explosives, flammable solvents, cocaine, and acetaminophen on the skin.

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hmm I wonder if.... by Ingcuervo · 2014-07-10 21:42 · Score: 5, Funny

the way they detect the flammable solvents is by the ignition of them when the spark of static discharge is done
New Traveler Hairstyles by Rich0 · 2014-07-10 21:48 · Score: 5, Funny

I'm just looking forward to when the TSA hears about this. Pretty soon we'll all be sporting new traveler's hairdos!
Breaking Headline : by Rollgunner · 2014-07-10 22:20 · Score: 5, Funny

Air traveler shocked to find out he was carrying illegal drugs !